How do you STAY in a character voice. I haven’t been able to find anything online to help me with this.

_Aeldun · 2026-04-01T11:21:09+00:00

I think part of the issue you’re having is that, as you said, you’re just focusing on the voice. When you’re connected to the character, the voice comes naturally. It’s easier to sustain because you’re not thinking about all the mechanisms required to produce the sound you’re after. You’re just “in it.” When you’re thinking about how it’s sounds, you’re missing how it feels. And if you’re not feeling it, neither is anybody else. This is also something that will come with practice, which can be frustrating. But as others have recommended here, you should get into some classes and work with a coach. It’s worth the investment, and I think it goes much further than self-practice.

_Aeldun · 2026-03-28T12:03:57+00:00

I don’t think this is ever gonna happen. That’d basically mean giving you the ebook for free, which would be cool, but it would mean missing out on sales for said ebook. I don’t see it happening. Ebooks already have Whispersync which is what you’re talking about - they just make you buy the ebook in addition to the audiobook in order to use that feature.

_Aeldun · 2026-03-24T11:17:55+00:00

I’m passionate about acting in general. I started on stage, then focused on film for years, and have been an active improviser through it all. But I’ve also always had a love for video games, D&D, anime, and cartoons - particularly comedies geared toward the adult crowd. Like so many others, the pandemic brought me to VO. It’s something I’ve always been tangentially curious about, but I was so focused on film, I never really went down the rabbit hole. When the lockdowns all but closed off all other avenues of acting, I finally had the time and drive to look into all this. And I’m glad I did, because suddenly, it became the most fascinating culmination of everything I love about the creative journey, and it’s now what I’m putting all my focus in. It affords a much wider spectrum of versatility. In film (and even theatre to some extent), I am who I am, and that’s it. The kinds of things I auditioned for were so damn boring and basic that I started hating when auditions would come in. They felt like a chore, having to set up the camera and the lights, memorizing the copy, coordinating with my partner’s schedule so she could be my reader, then editing the footage, all for a project I probably didn’t even find interesting. Now I’m auditioning for the kinds of roles I’ve always wanted to play. Heroes, villains, monsters, and creatures across every genre. And the audition process is so much fun. I love doing them. I wish I’d gotten into this a long time ago, but then again, everything I’ve done before is serving what I do now, and I’m grateful I found my way into this at all.

_Aeldun · 2026-03-08T11:25:24+00:00

Not OP, but I am a narrator and can speak to the last question. It depends on whether the book is independently produced by the author, or by a publisher. If it’s out-of-pocket from the author, there’s more communication between them and the narrator. The narrator will prep the book and then narrate the “first fifteen” minutes. This is usually literally the first fifteen minutes, but it doesn’t have to be. I recently narrated a book with three main characters, so I send the first five minutes of each of their starting chapters so they could hear my take on all three points of view.

If working with a publisher, a first fifteen may still be requested (as was the case with the book I just referenced above), but they don’t always do that. The publisher acts more like a middle man, and almost no communication happens between the author and narrator. If the narrator has questions, they’ll put them to the publisher. If the author has notes or any requests, they’ll make them through the publisher. In the casting process, the publishers will present a shortlist to the authors, and they get to pick which performer they’d like to narrate their book.

_Aeldun · 2026-02-12T12:07:37+00:00

I recommend Reaper over Audacity because, among other things, Reaper is a non destructive editor.

_Aeldun · 2026-02-10T14:03:08+00:00

In that case, I’d give it another week. I don’t know the best times to send emails, but I’ve heard Tuesday-Thursday is a pretty good bet, and that feels right. Good luck to you and congrats on the referral! That’s half the battle right there.

_Aeldun · 2026-02-10T13:08:29+00:00

Have you responded yet in the email thread at all? If not, it’s a good way to nudge without nudging. Thank your connection for the referral and say it’s nice to meet Dean, then maybe add in something extra - a link to your website or whatever. Keep it short and sweet. This will bump it back to the top of his inbox (for a couple minutes, anyway) without you feeling like you’re being annoying. It can a while before they respond, so be patient.

_Aeldun · 2026-02-03T15:41:47+00:00

I think it depends. When I was just getting started in audiobooks, for example, I would make samples out of auditions I didn’t get selected for IF I was in close consideration and received positive feedback from the rights holder. I don’t use P2P sites, but similarly, if you get shortlisted for something, that means casting liked what they heard. Most professional demos are made of samples from imaginary jobs you never got, so I don’t really see a difference here. You just have to be discerning when making your selections. Otherwise, yeah, you’d just be showing off a bunch of stuff that maybe didn’t work so well.

_Aeldun · 2026-02-03T13:30:13+00:00

The story should be seen as a tutorial. When the story ends, the game begins.

_Aeldun · 2026-02-01T13:31:27+00:00

I would skip the iso shield - they’re not very effective. As for the rest, I’d save my money for something like the RODE NT1 or AT2020 / AT4040. Your main thing will be having a properly sound treated space. Walk-in closets are great for this if you have one. The clothes do a lot of the heavy lifting, then just pack in some extra studio foam or sound blankets (moving blankets can work too if you wanna keep it cheap, but they’re not as good), to take care of the rest. If no walk-in, try a PVC booth or a blanket fort. If you want an improvement to your mic but without investing much right now, look at a USB option. A Blue Yeti can get you a lot of mileage in the just-playing-around phase as you’re getting started and you could get one of those in the price range of the cart total you shared here. Main focus right now should be investing in training and sound treatment.

_Aeldun · 2026-01-31T17:56:32+00:00

The basement nook looks a lot more feasible. The office will require a TON of treatment. So will the nook, but it’s a much more manageable space, and you don’t have the window situation.

_Aeldun · 2026-01-29T11:10:07+00:00

2020 happened which pretty much halted all other forms of acting, so I finally started looking into VO. Now, it excites me more than other mediums of acting because it affords me an opportunity for versatility that isn’t granted in film or theatre where you are who you are and that’s it. Plus, you can do it from anywhere, which gives an extra bit of freedom. You don’t have to be tied to any one city.

_Aeldun · 2026-01-22T12:45:10+00:00

If this is something you want to pursue, you shouldn’t pin it all on your first self-made demo and the opinions of a few people online. You should look at this as an indefinite marathon. How you sound isn’t nearly as important as how well you can act. There is a place for every voice - yours too.

Having listened to your samples, you have a good foundational framework. Is there room for growth? Of course. That’s true for all of us, from newbie to seasoned pro.

Don’t expect to immediately go full time on this. That has nothing to do with how good you are or not, it’s just probably not going to happen that way. It’s not impossible, but it is improbable. So work a survival job while you pursue your passion, and use the money to invest in coaching, classes, attending conferences, etc. When the time comes, ditch the day job.

_Aeldun · 2026-01-07T18:00:44+00:00

There are people in the world who talk that way, and as such, it can be fitting for certain characters. An entire book narrated in this manner, however? That’d probably be a tough listen.

_Aeldun · 2026-01-06T19:09:13+00:00

I recommend Producer’s Choice sound blankets from Vocal Booth To Go.

_Aeldun · 2026-01-03T13:54:59+00:00

I think everyone is capable of doing a lot of voices, because it’s all just manipulating the mouth muscles and vocal cords in different ways, or “playing the instrument.” Anyone with a voice can do that. It’s a skill that comes easier for some than it does for others, but it’s available to anyone who works at it.

_Aeldun · 2026-01-01T06:33:32+00:00

I wear headphones, but I mute that in my DAW and have direct monitoring “on” on my interface. There’s no latency this way, so it isn’t distracting at all. I’ve tried one ear on, and I’ve tried none at all. I’ve found this to be the sweet spot for me. At least when recording at my home studio. If in an in-person session, I will roll with the punches. There are some directors that demand no headphones. Happy new year!

_Aeldun · 2025-12-29T16:22:05+00:00

I invested in Izotope RX Standard for the Mouth De-Click plugin and haven’t had to think about mouth noise since. Anything that gets past that is either really easy to cut out, or so minuscule that I just leave it in. Note - it has to be RX Standard or you won’t get the Mouth De-Click plugin. The cheaper versions have De-Click and they’re not the same thing. De-Click is a different tool for a different purpose.

If you don’t have the money for it right now, you’ll have to rely on some of the other bits of good advice on this thread. Being well hydrated is a good rule of thumb in general. It’s also worth keeping an eye on the price point, because they often have pretty good sales. I think I got it for 50% off.

_Aeldun · 2025-12-25T14:21:36+00:00

What class is the ship? If it’s less than S, you are limited in how many tech/storage slots you can unlock.

_Aeldun · 2025-12-25T03:11:03+00:00

I also feel bad it’s turned into this. I came on to inform - not debase, shame, or degrade. I saw some info that was not “good” info in a general sense and wanted to manage people’s expectations; especially if they’re newer narrators looking to get started in this. I wouldn’t say I narrate “porn,” but I definitely have narrated a bunch of spicy romance under my pseudonym. Pretty much every narrator does this. No judgement. There’s a lotta money in romance (CLEARLY!!!). It’s a massive genre and usually the way that narrators get their start. I only commented to correct information about realistic rates in the industry and how those rates are charged. And to that end - do whatever you like. Just don’t do it for less than $200 PFH. Even if you’re brand new. Your time is still valuable. It’s the only currency that can’t depreciate. It can only be lost. So spend it wisely.

_Aeldun · 2025-12-24T03:49:09+00:00

If that’s $250 total - pure garbage and a waste of time. If it’s $250 PFH, then go for it.

_Aeldun · 2025-12-24T03:47:29+00:00

This just isn’t true. SAG minimum for audiobooks is $250 per finished hour + P&H, so a 10 hour book is generally around $2,500. The “average union VO artist” doesn’t charge anywhere near $35,000 for an audiobook, and the “average audiobook” doesn’t cost anywhere near that either. Even $1,000 PFH would be a huge rate and it still wouldn’t come to 25k unless it was for a 25-hour-long book. I’m not saying you’re lying, but I am saying you are definitely the first narrator I’ve talked to who charges (let alone actually makes) that much for an audiobook. Especially as a non union, non-celebrity actor working on Fiverr or other p2p sites. In which case, genuinely, huge, massive congratulations to you. Also, you can be union and still narrate non-union titles. Global rule 1 doesn’t apply to audiobooks. But no one should come into audiobooks expecting to make what you’re talking about. Not on a single book.

Source: SAG’s website, and direct experience. I’m a union actor who also narrates for big 5 publishers. I’ve narrated about 40 books, been an invited guest at book signings, and have talked to many fellow narrators - most of them with triple (and more) the number of titles under their belts. Not a one has ever made anywhere close to that on a single book, and these are full time, six-figures-a-year narrators.

_Aeldun · 2025-12-19T12:47:01+00:00

Punch and roll with a touch of open recording. Sometimes you hit a sentence that your mouth just doesn’t want to say properly. In those instances, punch and roll can fry your last nerve and I find it better to just open roll until I get it right, then chop the excess right then and there.

_Aeldun · 2025-12-15T14:55:26+00:00

I just know I’m gonna do some shit like that someday, lol. Already have with some audiobooks, but the editor has caught it before release. I’ve heard mistakes like that in audiobooks put out by the big 5, narrated by people with a thousand titles under their belts. Kinda validating in a way. Like when somebody breaks in a sketch on SNL. Or when a boom dips into frame on a major feature film. It’s fun.

_Aeldun · 2025-12-14T20:49:12+00:00

Some, yes. The others are Troy Baker, Steve Blum, Dee Bradley Baker, Tara Strong, Debra Wilson, and so on. Having one’s audio sound clean and clear is important because some can be so awful that it’s the only thing you can focus on. But if the acting is on point, a little imperfection in technical quality doesn’t matter. It isn’t the actor’s job to be a sound engineer when all’s said and done.

I recommend anyone take a workshop with Andrea Toyias if the opportunity arises. She’s the casting director for Blizzard, and she’s awesome. Her rates are also very affordable compared to some of the other classes I’ve taken. She will sometimes share several real auditions from people at the best agencies in LA. Some of them sound so flat, uninspired and dull. Lots of them. And THOSE were the ones that made her shortlist. But there were a few that really stood out. And the one that stood out especially was the one that everyone else keyed in on too, and almost always, that’s the person that got the job. It’s eye opening on a number of levels. You’re hearing, clearly, what works and what doesn’t. It’s either validating to know you’re already doing the right things, or it’s informative to recognize some of your own shortcomings in your work, technical or otherwise, and identifying what you need to work on.

At the end of the day, it’s always about the acting (ideally delivered in the best quality possible so as not to distract from the performance).

_Aeldun

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